Karin
is a former subordinate of Orochimaru and presumably a former kunoichi of Kusagakure. She assisted Orochimaru in his experiments and was left in charge of his southern base while he was away. She was later recruited into Sasuke Uchiha's group Taka (formerly Hebi) as the sensor of the group. Background As a child Karin lived in a small village that was burnt to the ground during a war. She was the only survivor and was completely unharmed. Orochimaru found her afterwards and asked how she survived, to which she answered that she could tell that huge groups of people were coming. Orochimaru then brought her to Otogakure, where she served as a jailer at one of his bases. Karin eventually took part in the Chūnin Exams that were held in Konoha. During the second phase, taking place in the Forest of Death, she lost track of her team-mates and was attacked by a large bear. She was saved by Sasuke Uchiha who was disappointed to find she had the earth scroll as well, but she was able to catch a good glimpse of him before he left. She remembered the smile that Sasuke gave her.Naruto chapter 482, pages 10-12 At some point she was involved in experimentations on Jūgo and Kimimaro.Naruto chapter 352, page 3 Unlike the rest of Taka, Karin was genuinely loyal to Orochimaru, going as far as to refuse to release Orochimaru's prisoners and, in the anime, having them killed for speaking of his death, even after his defeat. Personality Karin has a fluctuating personality; she will appear tough and in control at times, to the point of being violent and critical, and at other times will appear highly flirtatious. She annoys Suigetsu Hōzuki, whom she attacks whenever he voices his general opinion of her. She seems to be attracted to men based on their chakra quality, and claims that Suigetsu's chakra disgusts her. Sasuke Uchiha's chakra used to dazzle her, but it now scares her, due to it getting colder and darker from his hatred. Naruto Uzumaki's seems to calm and dazzle her as well, making her feel comfortable and relaxed due to it being warm and bright, though she also became scared after sensing an evil chakra within him.Naruto chapter 488, pages 8-9 She, like many girls in Konoha before her, had been infatuated with Sasuke since they first met; when he saved her during the Chūnin Exams. In the anime, she has a flashback of when Orochimaru sends her to assist Sasuke in capturing a horde of escaped prisoners. There, she is captivated by the level of Sasuke's chakra and develops an infatuation with him. Karin's infatuation bordered on obsession to the point of fanaticism. For example, when Hebi was recuperating after Sasuke's battle with Deidara, Karin was planning to drug both Suigetsu and Jūgo and then "ravish" Sasuke's unconscious body and it was later revealed that she had kept one of Sasuke's sweat-drenched shirts. Karin didn't make much of an attempt to hide her feelings, frequently suggesting to Sasuke that they should spend time alone. Karin was very angry when the Fifth Mizukage flirted with Sasuke, and called her an "old hag" for it. Despite Sasuke's chakra becoming increasingly "darker", she still found him attractive. However, after he stabbed her in order to kill Danzō and tried to kill her, Karin stated that she no longer cares about him. Appearance Karin has red eyes, matching hair colour, and an unusual hairstyle: her hair is short, pointy, and unkempt on the right side, while it is long, pin-straight and combed on her left side. She wears brown glasses, which have a serrated blade hidden in them.Naruto chapter 574, page 2 Karin outfit consists of a lavender uniform common for Orochimaru's subordinates, short black shorts, and long black thigh high stockings with black sandals. Her chest, neck and arms are covered with bite marks that result from using her Heal Bite, and all of which are hidden by her uniform. As she is allied with Hebi, Karin begins to wear a pouch around her midsection, and later a black cloak. When allied with Akatsuki, Karin wears an Akatsuki cloak with a hood instead of a high collar. After the fight with Killer B, Karin briefly put her hair in a ponytail. Abilities Karin has been praised by Tobi as being "helpful" for her abilities. They were also the reason why Orochimaru took her with him after he found her. Despite being mostly a non-combatant, Orochimaru had enough faith in her to put her in charge of the Southern Hideout's prison, since her abilities made escaping practically impossible. Her special ability, the Mind's Eye of the Kagura, allows her to track specific individuals through chakra simply by using her standard concentration pose for moulding chakra. Sasuke noted her ability to sense chakra is unlike anyone else's. For example, she was once able to discern that Jūgo was not among a crowd of prisoners by chakra alone. It also allows her to pick up chakra from long distances, and notice changes in an individual's chakra. Kakashi Hatake surmised that Karin is a particularly skilled chakra-sensing ninja, as she is not only able to tell that his group is approaching, but can also sense how many of them are present, and that one is a dog. She can also use her ability to determine if someone is lying by the fluctuations in that person's chakra made from dishonest emotions.Naruto chapter 457, page 6 She can also find out if an enemy is using a clone jutsu and indicate if someone, including herself, is trapped in genjutsu. She can, similarly, conceal her own chakra from others.Naruto chapter 461 However, doing so will render her unable to use chakra, thus disabling her Mind's Eye of the Kagura technique. Karin also has the ability to heal others by letting them bite her and suck in her chakra.Naruto chapter 412, page 6 However, it is dangerous for her to use this ability more than once a day. This technique also causes those she heals to leave a permanent bite on her skin. It should also be noted that she has multiple bite marks on her arms, chest and neck, which are covered up by the long sleeve shirts she wears, showing that she has used this power repeatedly in the past. In the anime, she was also seen using the Mystical Palm Technique to heal Sasuke, though it appears she isn't skilled with the technique as are the medical-nin.Naruto: Shippūden episode 208 While Karin isn't noted to be a particularly strong combatant, she has shown enough durability to take an Amaterasu for a short while and was barely injured by a kick from Danzō that sent her crashing into concrete. She also managed to survive the stab wound in her chest dealt by Sasuke for a long time, despite the rapid blood loss. Karin has also shown herself to be quite resourceful, hiding a blade in the frame of her glasses as well as a lock-pick set within a portrait that she seemingly carries around with her.Naruto chapter 574, page 2 Part II Itachi Pursuit Arc Sasuke recruited her as a member of Hebi. While Sasuke admitted that she might be troublesome sometimes, he also noted that her special abilities made her useful. While Sasuke tried to recruit her, she tried to seduce him. Once the team was completed, Sasuke sent Hebi out in multiple directions to try and locate Itachi Uchiha. While on the search, Karin passed Sakura Haruno, although the two did not acknowledge each other. After Deidara's suicide explosion, the rest of the team regrouped and took Sasuke to an inn to recover. When Karin went out for supplies, she sensed the Eight Man Squad approaching, and warned the team. It was her plan to use Sasuke's old clothing as a means to distract the squad from catching them. When they finally got back on Itachi's trail, Karin stayed behind with Suigetsu, Jūgo, and Kisame as Sasuke went ahead to battle Itachi. Invasion of Pain Arc Hebi, now renamed Taka, later began working with Akatsuki. They were sent to Kumogakure to capture the Eight-Tails' jinchūriki. When they found him, Karin stood on the sidelines and watched the others fight Killer B. When Sasuke was mortally wounded fighting Killer B, Karin immediately rushed to pull the dying Sasuke out of the fight, as Suigetsu and Jūgo kept Killer B busy. As she pulled the swords out of Sasuke's body she exposed her right arm, riddled with numerous bite marks. She then told Sasuke to bite her arm, and as he did, her Heal Bite healed his wounds. As Killer B got bored and attempted to leave, Karin used her Mind's Eye of the Kagura to locate him. Killer B then used his demonic chakra to charge at her, Jūgo, and Suigetsu, but Jūgo rocketed them away to safety. After Sasuke was yet again critically wounded by Killer B, Karin insisted on reviving Sasuke again. She was stopped by Jūgo, who claimed she didn't have enough chakra to save Sasuke again, so Karin watches as Jūgo transfers his flesh to Sasuke to heal him. When Killer B fully transformed into the Eight-Tails, Sasuke used Amaterasu to quell it. Karin quickly moved all of her team-mates out of the way of one of Killer B's tentacles, but this resulted in her being hit by one, and some of the black flames spread to Karin's cloak. Sasuke used his Mangekyō Sharingan to put them out. Karin was carried to safety by Jūgo. While the team was recovering, Karin briefly put her hair in a ponytail. She noticed that something was wrong with Sasuke, but as he brushed it off, she detected an enemy outside their base, which Sasuke and Jūgo went to investigate. Five Kage Summit Arc After Taka recovered, they moved out for Konoha. Along the way they are stopped by Tobi, who convinced Sasuke to go after Danzō Shimura at the Kage Summit. When they arrived in the Land of Iron, they decided to wait until the meeting was over before they attack. Zetsu soon revealed their presence and the Kage mobilise against Taka. When the battle got under way, Karin noticed that Sasuke's chakra was now darker than when in his cursed seal level two state. When the Fourth Raikage arrived, he instructs C to locate and eliminate Karin, Taka's sensory ninja. Karin hid her chakra to avoid detection, and once C was defeated by Sasuke she again began to look for Danzō's location. By the time Sasuke is able to elude the Raikage, Karin had found Danzō. She informs Sasuke that Jūgo and Suigetsu are still alive, but he said to leave them and had her lead him to Danzō. Danzō fled as soon as they arrived, and Sasuke was forced to fight the Fifth Mizukage and the Third Tsuchikage before he could follow. During the brief confrontation Karin grew concerned with Sasuke's deteriorating chakra levels. When his chakra signature disappeared, she broke into tears, believing him to be dead, with the Tsuchikage turning his sight on her. Tobi soon appeared with Sasuke in tow before he sent them both to a different realm so she could heal his wounds. He later returned and released them in front of Danzō so that Sasuke could fight him. Karin observed the battle and tried to determine how Danzō was able to survive a series of apparently fatal injuries. She immediately ruled out genjutsu or a clone technique, and eventually noticed that the Sharingan embedded in Danzō's arm closed one by one as the battle progressed. Coupling this observation with frequent descents in Danzō's chakra levels, she learned the secret of his technique. She told Sasuke about it and advised that he keep his distance until Izanagi expired. Once Sasuke mortally wounded Danzō, Karin healed his injuries. Danzō then took Karin hostage as he refused to die. Karin called to Sasuke for help, but Sasuke stabbed her through the chest in order to pierce Danzō's heart. Sasuke simply commented that, if she can be taken hostage so easily, she was now only a burden to him. Karin collapsed and Tobi suggested that Sasuke finish her off since she had some knowledge of their plans. As Sasuke walked towards Karin, she has a flashback of her first encounter with him at the Chūnin Exams and remembered his smile. She took one last look at Sasuke, wishing to see his smile one more time, before he was about to kill her, but he was interrupted by the arrival of Sakura. Sakura insisted that she wanted to be with Sasuke no matter what, leading Karin to realise that Sakura too loved Sasuke. Sasuke ordered Sakura to prove her loyalty by killing Karin. This, however, was a lie to make Sakura drop her guard. As Sasuke prepared to kill Sakura, Karin managed to mutter a warning, before Kakashi Hatake arrived to counter the attack. After it became clear that not even his words can alter Sasuke's motives, he ordered Sakura to take Karin away from the area and heal her enough to talk. While still barely conscious, Karin looked up at a sobbing Sakura and pleaded for her to hold in her tears. A tear fell down Karin's face as she sensed a further change in Sasuke's chakra, stating that Sasuke is no longer the person that Sakura once knew. As she asked Sakura what she will do, Sakura didn't respond and, emotionally unstable, returned to the fight despite Karin's warnings. Later, when Sasuke prepared to fight with Naruto, Karin, sensing that Sasuke is going to over-exert himself again, dwelled on the fact that she was only able to heal him a little from his earlier skirmishes, before catching herself in that thought; in light of the fact of everything that Sasuke had done to her, Karin decided to herself that she was now done with Sasuke. After Sasuke left, Kakashi told her that she was coming with them to Konoha; Karin resigned to her fate as she had no choice, being warned by Kakashi not to try anything. As Karin left with them, she made a special note of Naruto's character, apparently hearing of him before. Confining the Jinchūriki Arc Later, she is interrogated by Ibiki Morino in Konoha to get information on Akatsuki, Sasuke and Kabuto Yakushi. Though she initially wove a tale in which she was a victim of both Orochimaru who she claimed had forced her into hard labour and Sasuke who had unreasonably demanded too much from her, Ibiki saw through it immediately and Karin switched tracks, insisting to be fed a bowl of deep-fried pork cutlets before she would talk. While the other two fussed over making preparations however, Ibiki remained stone-faced. Karin later noted that all the people in Konohagakure seem to all be cheerful and warm, just like Naruto. Shinobi World War Arc Having been jailed some time after the interrogation, Karin while holding a portrait of Sasuke stating that he was so cool and then immediately throwing down the picture and cursing him for trying to kill her. This erratic behaviour seemingly goes on for a while, bewildering the guards. This, however, is revealed to be a ruse as Karin pries open the portrait to reveal a lock-pick set. Video Games Karin's fighting style differs in her video game appearances: * In Kizuna Drive, Karin uses her Mind's Eye of the Kagura technique to avoid enemy attacks, and can enter the same Medical Mode as Sakura Haruno and Ino Yamanaka. * In Shinobi Rumble Karin is shown to use senbon, and she attacks her opponents with them after detecting them in a radius of her Mind's Eye of the Kagura technique. * Karin's techniques in Ultimate Ninja Heroes 3 are focused on her Mind's Eye of the Kagura technique, allowing her to avoid enemy attacks at a close and long range. If Karin uses her Ultimate Jutsu on Sasuke in "Naruto Shippūden: Ultimate Ninja Heroes 3, Karin blushes, and stares in awe at Sasuke's beaten up body right after she finishes her technique and says "Oh yes". "Student Sasuke" may be fought for the same effect. * In Ultimate Ninja Storm 2, Karin's techniques are more focused on her personality, as she sprays poisoned perfume that she carries in the pouch on her back and slaps opponents with explosive tags. When fighting Sasuke, Karin's entire demeanour changes, and she frequently remarks and swoons over him while fighting, and her techniques and Awakening mode are modified. * In Dragon Blade Chronicles, Karin is shown to have a diary; a black book that she keeps in the pouch she wears on her back and has decorated with pink hearts. She tells Sasuke that she could write about him in it if he insists. Trivia * Karin's name is made up of the kanji for and . * According to the Third Databook: ** Karin wishes to fight Suigetsu. ** Karin's hobby is collecting perfumes. It is amusing to note that the Japanese word for perfume is written with 香 — the first kanji in Karin's name — and 水 — the first kanji in Suigetsu's. ** Karin's favourite food is okonomiyaki, while she dislikes gyōza. ** Karin's favourite phrase is . ** Karin has completed 50 official missions in total: 25 D-rank, 16 C-rank, 7 B-rank, 2 A-rank, 0 S-rank. Quotes * (To Sasuke) "If you really want me to Sasuke… I will follow you." * (To Sasuke about Suigetsu) "I hate Suigetsu always running his mouth." * (To Suigetsu) "You're just weapon collecting? Bo-ring." * (To herself about Sasuke) "'' …I just wanted… to see that face once more…''" * (To herself about Sakura) "You're the enemy…I don't want to sympathise with you…so…so don't…don't cry like that in front of me…! Damn it…" * (To herself about Sasuke) "Sasuke… I may have healed you a little, but this is too much… actually… forget it, I'm done with you." References